1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handle assembly, and more particularly to a handle assembly that is used for preventing a tool from slipping in use.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional tool such as an open ended wrench in accordance with the prior art shown in FIG. 12 includes a shank 60 and a driving head 61 formed on one end of the shank 60 for operating a workpiece 62 such as a nut or the like. A user""s hand 80 can hold the other end of the shank 60 so as to rotate the workpiece 62 by the driving head 61. However, during rotation of the shank 60, the user""s hand 80 is inclined relative to the shank 60 so that the shank 60 is easily tilted by the user""s hand 80. Accordingly, the driving head 61 is tilted by the shank 60 to deviate from the workpiece 62 so that the driving head 61 and the workpiece 62 are not in alignment with each other and so that the driving head 62 cannot optimally engage with the workpiece 62, thereby decreasing the performance of the driving head 61 on the workpiece 62, and thereby easily wearing the driving head 61 or the workpiece 62.
A first conventional handle for a tool such as an open ended wrench in accordance with the prior art shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 with reference to FIG. 12 includes two roller members 66 mounted on the shank 60 of the tool for increasing the mobility between the shank 60 of the tool and the user""s hand 80. However, a torque xe2x80x9cMxe2x80x9d is created on the center of the shank 60 due to the force xe2x80x9cFxe2x80x9d being exerted by the user""s hand 80 on the roller members 66 so that the driving head 61 is tilted by the shank 60 to deviate from the workpiece 62 so that the driving head 61 and the workpiece 62 are not in alignment with each other and so that the driving head 62 cannot optimally engage with the workpiece 62, thereby decreasing the performance of the driving head 61 on the workpiece 62.
A second conventional handle for a tool such as an open ended wrench in accordance with the prior art shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 includes a roller member 76 rotatably mounted on a cylindrical shank 70 of the tool for increasing the mobility between the shank 70 of the tool and the user""s hand 80. However, the roller member 76 is freely rotated on the shank 70 of the tool without any limiting device for limiting the movement of the roller member 76. Accordingly, the user""s hand 80 holding the roller member 76 tends to turn excessively relative to the shank 70 of the tool due to little friction between the roller member 76 and the shank 70 of the tool so that the user""s hand 80 cannot efficiently grip or hold the shank 70 of the tool to operate a workpiece, thereby decreasing the performance of the driving head of the tool on the workpiece. In addition, the user""s hand 80 cannot efficiently hold the shank 70 of the tool due to the roller member 76 being freely rotatable on the shank 70 of the tool so that the driving head of the tool cannot optimally engage with the workpiece, and easily slips on the workpiece which is easily detached from the driving head of the tool, thereby decreasing the performance of the driving head on the workpiece, and thereby easily wearing the driving head or the workpiece.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a handle assembly for a shank of a tool comprising a handle body rotatably mounted on the shank of the tool, and a limiting device mounted in the handle body for use in limiting the amount of rotation between the handle body and the shank of the tool to a determined rotation angle.
The handle assembly further comprises a supporting barrel secured on the shank of the tool, wherein the handle body is rotatably mounted on the supporting barrel, and the limiting device is mounted between the supporting barrel and the handle body. The limiting device includes a curved limiting groove defined in an outer wall of the supporting barrel, and a limiting member mounted on an inner wall of the handle body and slidably received in the curved limiting groove.
The handle assembly further comprises a restoring device mounted between the supporting barrel and the handle body and including a restoring spring mounted on the supporting barrel and located in the handle body. The restoring spring has a first end secured to the supporting barrel and a second end secured to the handle body. The restoring device also includes an annular first receiving groove defined in an outer wall of the supporting barrel for receiving the restoring spring, and an annular second receiving groove defined in an inner wall of the handle body for receiving the restoring spring.
The handle assembly further comprises an alignment device mounted between the supporting barrel and the handle body and including a guide groove defined in an outer wall of the supporting barrel, a retaining notch defined in a mediate portion of the guide groove, a retaining recess defined in an inner wall of the handle body, and a flexible alignment member secured in the retaining recess. The alignment member is slidably received in the guide groove to be detachably received in the retaining notch.
The handle body includes a first half body and a second half body securely coupled with each other. The second half body has a plurality of locking bores defined therein, and the first half body includes a plurality of snapping stubs each snapped into a corresponding one of the locking bores for coupling the first half body with the second half body.
Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.